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Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu moved to Madras High Court challenging the order of the University Grants Commission (UGC). A few days ago UGC released a notice advising students not to take admission to Annamalai University.

The institution is speaking against the order released during March 25 and 30, which states that Annamalai University should not admit any students to any programme, on the ground that it had not obtained recognition from the UGC from the 2014-15 academic year.

The writ petition prayed for a direction to the UGC to issue recognition of open and distance learning programmes for the current academic year 2022-23. The interim prayers are to stay the operation of the March 2022 notice and a direction to the UGC to permit the petitioner university to admit students under the open and distance learning programmes from 2022-23.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will soon be revoked from entire Assam, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday, adding that improved law and order and peace accords with militant outfits in the last six years have already led to the law’s partial withdrawal in the state.

The minister also lauded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam for ensuring peace and development in the state besides achieving several milestones.

“Prior to BJP governments, Assam used to witness terrorism, strikes, bomb blasts and deaths. In the past six years, first under Sarbananda Sonowal and now with Himanta Biswa Sarma at helm, those incidents have been replaced with peace, development, health and education,” Shah said while addressing a public meeting in Guwahati on the completion of one year of the state government.

The CBI on Tuesday undertook a major operation with nationwide raids conducted across 40 locations as part of a massive crackdown on an alleged nexus between NGOs and some officials of the home ministry, which was facilitating illegal clearance of matters pertaining to Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA).

Acting on the basis of inputs from the MHA, the agency has carried out several arrests, including those of public servants posted in the home ministry's FCRA division, who were caught taking bribe. At least six government officials were being questioned on Tuesday, with the investigators unearthing hawala transactions worth at least Rs 2 crore until now.

The power ministry’s directive on 10% blending of domestic coal with imported fuel for generating electricity to meet rising demand is expected to push up tariff by 4.5% and widen the cash gap of discoms (distribution companies) to 68 paise per unit from an earlier estimate of 50 paise, rating agency Icra said in a note on Tuesday.

The agency’s estimates coincide with government data showing a 29% jump in the production of Coal India Ltd, which accounts for 80% of the fuel supplied to power plants, and coal-fired generation rising 9% in April from the year-ago period on the back of an 18% increase in fuel despatch.

But the Icra note said the ministry’s directives to states to import coal for blending and imported coal-based power plants to run on full capacity will push up India’s dependence on imported coal to about 13% in 2022-23 from 4% in the previous fiscal.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain petitions against the South Delhi Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment drive in Shaheen Bagh area. The SC asks the CPI(M) and other petitioners to move the Delhi high court in the matter.

The top had earlier agreed to hear a petition challenging a demolition drive by the civic body in the Shaheen Bagh area that led to a massive uproar hours ago.  The drive was halted as locals blocked movement of traffic and bulldozers that had reached the area as part of the anti-encroachment drive.

The petition was filed by the CPI(M)'s Delhi unit and Hawkers Union on Saturday terming the anti-encroachment exercise of the civic body was a "violation of principles of natural justice, statutes and the Constitution".